No Line Screen Dots with Color Seps

[Raincross]

I am trying to print out a simple color separation with the halftone line screen to a non-PS printer (Brother). All works okay except I keep getting a solid print and not the familiar dots.
1. Is half-tone printing possible from Xara to a non-PS printer?
2. Are there any obscure configurations I am missing?

I have been in printing a long time so I understand seps, I just can't get Xara to do half-tone dots for camera ready from this printer. Any help would be appreciated.

[Raincross]

I am trying to print out a simple color separation with the halftone line screen to a non-PS printer (Brother). All works okay except I keep getting a solid print and not the familiar dots.
1. Is half-tone printing possible from Xara to a non-PS printer?
2. Are there any obscure configurations I am missing?

I have been in printing a long time so I understand seps, I just can't get Xara to do half-tone dots for camera ready from this printer. Any help would be appreciated.

[jens g.r. benthien]

in the print dialog go to 'Options', then 'Separations', check 'use custom settings' and select an option that will meet your printer resolution, then check 'print color separations' and select the colors you want to output.

If the screen dots are too small, modify the 'custom settings'.

That's it - pretty straightforward and simple ;-}

jens g.r. benthien
designer
http://www.sacalobra.de

----------//--
If you don't know how to dream you'll never be a designer.
----------//--

[Raincross]

Unfortunately, that appears to make no difference. The following dpi/lpi combinations all result in a smooth gradient: 600/60, 300/60, 150/30.

The printer is either not getting the info from Xara or it disregards the info. The fact that it appears to me that most people successfully get a proper halftone sep from Xara on a non-PS printer suggests to me that some small and simple config has been overlooked by me or that Brother or WinXP is the culprit. If I can't get halftone seps then I will need a different s/w.

[FAx]

Print to generic PostScript printer (to FILE) and open file with Ghost Script. Try print from GS.

So!, FAx
www.artin.ru | fax@goody.ru | icq 39779414
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[jens g.r. benthien]

you might try to lower the resolution of your printer. I don't know anything about your printer model, but it should offer a res of around 600 dpi. Lower this res to 300 in the printer properties for another test run.

Some laser printers tend to 'smear' the toner, so it will spread over the blank areas, giving a look of a solid color if the resolution is high.

You've mentioned that your result is a smooth gradient - it must be smooth if you print a gradient.

I've made a square with a red to yellow gradient and printed the separations on a Lexmark E+ with 600 dpi - the result was ok. Then I lowered the res of the printer to 300 - the dots are better visible now, looks like in the good ol' times when we used to print at 300 dpi max ;-}

If you don't want to waste too much paper, you can check your output with Fineprint (http://www.fineprint.com). Here you need to config your printer settings as well, but the advantage is that you can preview your result on screen. Just an idea...

jens g.r. benthien
designer
http://www.sacalobra.de

----------//--
If you don't know how to dream you'll never be a designer.
----------//--

[maak]

Jens, isn't your Lexmark E+ a postscript-emulating printer? And aren't the custom settings on the separations page of Xara's print dialog for postscript only? Just a thought!

I guess, that's why those settings just don't work for people with non-ps-aware printers.

hmpf:maak.

[wW]

Are you manually separating or letting Xara do it?

I have problems with both approaches. You have to do test prints with several options clicked on or off depending on what your not getting. Sometimes converting art to cmyk for your black layer but this most often, will not work. As Xara will not subtract your shapes from the others that are around them (most of the time). Sometimes 4 color jobs can be separated CMYK & assigned different colors as required for your particular job.

Manual separations using layers in Xara is the workaround that I use most often. Turning everything to black on each layer-each layer a separate color or plate. This will not work for complex artwork though. As you have to do alot of image slicing & going back & forth getting things right. Only to find that printing the plates will not be much easier. Then the surprises you get on output or production. It's always something. I'd pay 3-4 times the market price if Xara could print & separate with a bit more versatility, the way it should.

There is much experimentation required for print work in Xara. Sometimes you must resolve yourself to exporting out to other programs for printing. Draw has many more options & a better print dialog. It does not want to give you custom or global print setting like Xara does. That is a Draw bug (for another forum). Also Draw defaults back to some settings it seems to choose. (drives me mad) having to reset it all the time.

I don't know if I helped much but this is what I deal with every day. My color seps are starting to get easier in Xara but I very seldom print with out some sort of problem that needs to be figured out or troubleshot.
I will soon be working with Fireworks, Illustrator and several other programs to see if I can find some vector print or separation relief.

Good luck with your print job.

A Persistent person will become a great learner. As experience is gained, wisdom & understanding will bring forth fruit.
Xara Fruit! How sweet it is, but don't bite too deep, it's bitter-sweet on the inside.

Ww